A/N So my dog passed away. I'm writing this for SS Month 2018, Day 7 but this is also dedicated to Lulu, my darling Dachshund.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Underneath the Same Sky

"Remember, you need to take the green medicine after breakfast and the red medicine after dinner. No skips. If you do skip, you'll have to take the brown medicine."

Sakura carefully explained the medicines laid out on her table. She points to a green and red packets of gel capsules and a bottle of murky brown goop. There has been quite a dilemma in Konohagakure and Kumogakure recently, after a terrible outbreak of chakra-eating bacteria that resurfaced after the 4th Shinobi War. Cleverly naming it Rabbit Pox, after the Rabbit Goddess Ootsutsuki Kaguya, Sakura and her team was able to find a vaccine for the ancient pathogen before shinobi fatalities got worse. Treatment was strict and even the strongest of shinobi were not spared.

"Mou, Sakura-chan, don't talk to me like I'm some kid learning nursery rhymes. I have a brain."

Naruto sat at her office, looking ashen with his cheeks slightly hollow and his sun-kissed skin looking a bit sallow. He too, has been affected by Rabbit Pox, but not as bad as the other patients. His connection to Kurama actually helped in creating antibodies needed for the vaccine that's currently being developed. Sakura happily gave Naruto's girlfriend, Hinata, the honor of naming the vaccine - S-NK9 - short for Sakura, Naruto and Kurama.

"Alright. If that's what you want." Sakura said. "Anyways, you have to make sure that you take 250 mm of concentrated isoleucine or else your body won't produce enough amino acids to build protein from your muscle loss. Also make sure that you'll be taking 500mg ciprofloxacin at the prescribed time. Do not drink more or else you'll suffer antibiotic resistance and I don't want -"

"Ok, I get it. I don't speak Medic. Go back to speaking human" Naruto laughed as he took the packets Sakura was handing him. The pinkette chuckled and set the blond on his way. Before Naruto left her office, he glanced back. "Don't worry about Sasuke, Sakura-chan. I'm sure he's okay."

Sakura got caught off guard by Naruto's sudden remark. It's true, she has been wondering about Sasuke's well-being since its been about a month since his last letter. She was also too occupied about the epidemic risk that she hasn't been able to send him any letters. Her surprised face grew soft and she smiled. "I know, Naruto. Now, go on ahead. I have other patients. See you next week?"

"Sure."

The blond waved goodbye and closed the office door softy, leaving Sakura to her thoughts. Tired from lack of sleep, she opens her desk drawer to reveal a pack of sweets. Grabbing a handful of the pink sugary treats, her emerald eyes caught a glimpse of her calendar.

July 7, Tanabata

"At least Orihime and Hikoboshi get the chance to meet each other." she carelessly muttered. The tanabata festival was 3 days away and she hoped that somehow, she would be able to at least participate. Unfortunately, her pile of paperwork had other ideas for her. Grabbing the first folder in the pile, she popped a sweet into her mouth and began to work. Suddenly, an urgent knock came from her door.

"Come in!" she called, closing the file she was about to work on. The door opened revealing her lazy-eyed sensei looking quite exasperated.

"Kakashi-sensei!" She exclaimed, standing up from her seat. Her teacher motions for her to sit down while he took the seat opposite to her. He looked tired and exhausted, but from the years they've known each other, Sakura knew that something was up, based on the look on his eyes.

"There is a civilian town just outside of Kumogakure known as Amanogawa." he began. "We have just received reports that Rabbit Pox was detected within the town. You think you can go take a look?"

Sakura scratched her head with her pen. "Didn't we send the vaccines to Kumo for reproduction?"

Kakashi shook his head. He looked quite desolate as he looked at the floor. "I know, but it seems the vaccine doesn't work. The person infected is not a shinobi but a civilian."

Sakura's eyes grew wide. A civilian infected by a disease that targets a developed chakra system? That was unusual and dangerous. Not only will the disease affect the the undeveloped chakra system of a civilian but also their nervous and circulatory systems in the process. A widespread epidemic can happen if she is unable to stop that mutated strain from spreading.

"I'll go and check!" She immediately said, standing up and accepting the mission.

Kakashi smiled, relieved at his student's agreement to the mission. "Great. There is a big river across the town of Amanogawa. Our informat will wait for you on the other side for further briefing."

"Understood."

Kakashi stood up and patted Sakura's shoulder. "This is a highly confidential case. You are to leave tomorrow at dawn and our informat will meet you at the Tanabata festival in Amanogawa. No one must know that Rabbit Pox can be contracted by civilians. Blend in as much as you can."

Sakura nodded understanding the logic why she needed to meet their informat at a festival. Rabbit Pox is a fatal disease similar to smallpox but even more dangerous. Meeting someone at a very public place will be inconspicuous and will not raise any suspicions if someone did recognize her. She can simply say that she was there to celebrate Tanabata.

As soon as Kakashi left the room, she immediately collapsed at her chair and sighed. She looked at her office window, looking sadly at the Tanabata decorations found all over Konoha. The sky looked overcast and the teru-teru-bozu outside her window danced as the wind blew hard and steady.

"Looks like I won't be able to celebrate Tanabata this year." she muttered sadly as she watched raindrops fall from the sky.

Sasuke watched his hostess bustle around trying to get things in order for Tanabata. He had offered his help but the sweet old lady declined saying he has done so much already that she simply cannot allow him to exert any additional effort anymore. He found it funny since all he ever did was carry her and her baggage up to her house and helped rebuild the roof of the shrine.

The old woman, who introduced herself as Shotoku Kokken, lived alone is a mountain shrine beside a huge flowing river. Her home was the shrine where the people from the nearby civilian town comes to celebrate Tanabata. Normally, volunteers from the said town comes to help her out, but the recent heavy rains have stopped them from crossing the river.

"Kokken baa-san, are you sure you don't need anymore help?" Sasuke asks politely. He was not one to use honorifics to those he was familiar with, but he knew how to respect his elders. He kinda feels awkward, being forced down to sit in the middle of a traditional living room for a cup of hot matcha and some store bought mochi, but he obliges the old woman.

She only smiled in response as she waddles into view, wearing her grass raincoat. "Oh, don't be silly, wakamono-dono. Let an old lady have her fun and treat you like her grandson, okay? My own grandson didn't return home from the war, you see. You're more handsome than him but I'm pretty sure he'd give you a run for your money if he did come back!"

The old lady waddled in and out of Sasuke's view she hung the last of the sacred shide paper on the stalks of bamboo for the tanzaku. She smiled at Sasuke who sat awkwardly still on his seat, his mochi untouched, his matcha cup half-empty. The young Uchiha nodded in acknowledgement and finished off his hot tea. Happy that the young man was finally accepting her hospitality, Kokken continued on with her Tanabata preparations. It didn't take long before she finished all the work. Satisfied, she removed her grass raincoat and decided to disappear into the kitchen, only to come back with a plate of senbei.

"Do you celebrate Tanabata from where you're from?" she asked, sitting beside Sasuke who took her offer of senbei. He nodded as he took a hearty bite from the savory rice cracker. "For a charming young man like yourself, someone must be waiting for you to come back." she continued to muse while pouring herself a cup of hot tea from the nearby fire. Sasuke gave a small chuckle; barely audible but enough to catch the attention of the old woman. "Is she beautiful?"

"Ah." came the answer.

"Does she know?" Kokken asks.

"No."

"Do you want her to know?"

Sasuke looks into the green liquid inside his cup. Her eyes were green, like tea, but they looked more like emeralds and summer leaves to him. He closed his eyes as he tried to rebuild her image. Pink cherry blossom hair, green emerald eyes, red strawberry lips, creamy porcelain skin - she was beautiful, her soul was beautiful. She was not match for him and his broken past, but despite that he still couldn't help but be selfish. He knew in his heart that he doesn't deserve her but he just couldn't stop himself.

"Ah. I do." he answered the old lady.

He watched the fire cackle and pop from the slightly damp firewood and remembered the last time he saw her. It was in Suna, just after the Kido incident. She stood in the middle of the ruins of a fight with Kakashi, Naruto, Hinata, Sai, and Ino surrounding her. He had just received the hawk from Kakashi saying that Sakura has been kidnapped in order to draw him out. He remembered the white hot fury that engulfed him when he realized how they used her against him.

"...Strong as a beast, I tell ya. Feisty as hell too. I like my women fiery." he heard them say. They approached him from the direction of the multiple explosive sounds.

"Fucking bitch's strong. I ain't sticking my dick into a she-male." Said another as they raced away from the fight.

Sasuke kept his Sharingan poised into their direction. His jaw locked in anger and his chakra contained but at the verge of exploding. He watched them, intent in listening to their conversation.

"Guess that motherfucking Uchiha Sasuke don't care about that pink-haired whore. We should've just fucked her and killed her when we had the chance. Asshole didn't even take the bait. Fucking useless."

That's it. These cowardly bastards are going to die.

Sasuke intercepted the ANBU, walking down calmly on their path. They stopped and one of them laughed.

"Look who decided to show up, boys!" He shouted, earning a disgusting chuckle from the group escaping shinobi. "You're too -"

In a split second, the taunting shinobi was cut in half from his crotch up to his head and Uchiha Sasuke stood, poised like a cloaked statue of Adonis covered in blood. He stood quiet like a wolf prowling upon its prey, waiting for the proper time to strike. His eyes were sharp and alert waiting for any sudden movements. He scans the shinobi in front of him and silently asks a question.

"...Who had the guts to call Sakura a whore?"

No answer came. The wind blew and suddenly a snicker came from within the ranks of the wanted ANBU.

"And what if I did?" He called out laughing. "Nothing wrong in telling the truth! Bitch was pining over a man who would never want her sorry ass!"

Something snapped inside Sasuke and suddenly, the whole clearing was covered in the roaring black flames of Amaterasu and everyone aside from the one who laughed was disintegrated into dust within seconds. Sasuke used Amenotejikara to appear in front of the laughing shinobi and smirked.

...And the last thing that shinobi saw was a bright scarlet kaleidoscope before losing his sanity.

"Don't speak of what you don't know." Sasuke whispered as he left the scene of carnage.

Kokken laughter snapped Sasuke out of his thoughts. She patted the young man's back and said "Well, what better time to tell her than during Tanabata?" Sasuke was about to answer when a loud crash of thunder stopped him. Kokken sighed as she sipped from her teacup. "Best spend the night here, wakamono-dono. Hopefully, the rains would have stopped by tomorrow's festival."

Sasuke nodded and the two savored the warmth of the fire as they watched as the rains continue until night time.

Sasa no ha sara-sara, Nokiba ni yureru

(The bamboo leaves rustle, shaking away in the leaves.)

Sakura walked silently amongst the crowd who approached the Amanogawa shrine. The giant bamboo trees that surround the shrine looked like walls of jade protecting the luscious amethyst flowers of the hydrangeas. The previous night's rain created a foggy day that lasted up until the evening when the celebration starts. Inconspicuously dressed in a pastel magenta kimono patterned with hydrangeas, and a translucent baby pink robe, Sakura sang along the songs traditional to the festival while the parade made its way to the Kasasagi bridge.

She held her peony lamp close with one hand while she kept her robe close to her body to keep it from getting blown away by the wind. Leaves from the gigantic bamboo trees danced in their branches like hands waving hello-and-goodbye. The sound they made created a tranquility that made Sakura feel at ease despite the reason for her visit.

Ohoshi-sama kira-kira, Kingin sunago
( The stars twinkle on the gold and silver grains of sand.)

Sasuke looked up into the clear starry skies of Kokken's shrine. In honor of the festival, the kind old woman graciously lent him a formal kimono set of a black hakama, a periwinkle kimono, and a pastel dark blue haori. The old woman looked so happy as she dressed him up despite Sasuke's protests. So there he was, sitting handsomely amongst the hydrangeas of the shrine, waiting for the festival's participants to arrive. Choosing not to alarm any shinobi that could be in the parade, he expertly hides his chakra signature, despite his relaxed state.

He watched the parade making its way up into the mountain shrine with their lanterns, their distance making them look like the movement of the milky way in the night sky. He could almost hear the soft singing of the Tanabata song as the parade made its way up the shrine's mountain steps. Little by little, he could hear the people approach the shrine ao they can celebrate the union of two lovers that's been apart for too long.

Goshiki no tanzaku, watashi ga kaita

(The five-colour paper strips, I have already written)

The lines of the song continued on as the parade entered the Amanogawa shrine. Sakura smiled as she sees the many bamboo trees laid out to contain their tanzaku wishes. She approaches the nearby stall that housed the multi-colored tanzaku. She pulls out 5 pieces of paper. And begins to write her wishes, not just for herself but for her team as well. She wished for happiness for Naruto and Hinata, she wished for joy for Ino and Sai, she wished for luck for her Shishou and her senpai Shizune, she wished for rest and good health for her sensei Kakashi, and she wished for love and new beginnings for Sasuke.

Happy about the things she has written, Sakura slowly made her way towards the bamboo trees the held the other tanzaku, hoping that her wishes would come true. She then walked over to a nearby bench enclosed by hydrangeas; the stone seat cold from the cool evening. She sat down, hoping the informant Kakashi mentioned would recognize her. Sakura takes a deep breath, inhaling the sweet scent of the flowers and the scent of the nearby river. The Amanogawa shrine's picturesque image was something so beautiful, in Sakura's opinion. Kumogakure was a mountainous region and this shrine sat perfectly in a mountain beside a roaring waterfall that fed the Amanogawa River. She closes her eyes and relaxes for a while.

Ohoshi-sama kirakira, sora kara miteru

(The stars twinkle, and there they will watch us.)

Sasuke felt the hydrangea bush behind him rustle. Someone must have taken the other stone bench behind him. He sighs. He has told Kokken that as soon as the festival ends, he needs to get going and travel to his next destination. The old woman was sad but nonetheless agreed for she knew the young Uchiha had other places to be. His mismatched eyes trailed the image of young lovers that passed him and he wonders if this is what he wanted.

Did he want these carefree evenings of sweet nothings with her? Did he really expect a life with her along with sweet smelling flowers and starry nights? He shakes the thought away. He was not the type to enjoy those kinds of things. How could he? Those loving things were reserved for people like Naruto and Hinata. Once again, Sasuke sighs. Lately that's all he's been doing.

"You're in-love." He heard a voice say. He looks up and sees Kokken in her traditional miko garb. He only sighed in response. It was hopeless.

Was he? Is he?

"Tanabata is not just about Orihime reuniting with Hikoboshi, you know." Kokken continued as she took the seat beside him. "Wakamono-dono, it's also about true love."

Sasuke looked at the old woman as if to ask how is this festival about true love too. Kokken only chuckled when a new voice entered the conversation. A voice Sasuke thought he would never hear again.

"...Because despite being so far away from each other, their love overcame that distance, their feelings were connected. So much that fate paved the way for them to meet, time and time again."

Here she was, in a simple pastel magenta kimono, her hair tied in a simple updo held by a simple hairpin, looking like the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Sasuke's eyes grew wide as he looks into Sakura's smiling face. He scans her from her beautiful heart-shaped face, her bright green eyes, her soft pink hair, her rouged smiling lips, to the dainty hand she held out for him.

"Long time no see, Sasuke-kun." She said.

He took her hand. "Ah. It has been a long time."

Don't Forget to leave a review guys! Thanks so much!

Love lots,

C